Biological Science Technician (Wildlife and Fisheries)
U.S. National Park Service
Summary
The Pacific West Region is recruiting for summer seasonal Biological Science Technician (Wildlife and Fisheries), GS-0404-05/06.
The typical seasonal period for Redwood National and State Parks is April - October but can be variable during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding.
Open to the first 250 applicants or until 12/09/2024 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.
Overview
- Accepting applications
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Open & closing dates
11/29/2024 to 12/09/2024
This job will close when we have received 250 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more -
Salary
$18.96 - $27.48 per hour
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Pay scale & grade
GS 5 - 6
- Help
Location
6 vacancies in the following location:
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Remote job
No
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Telework eligible
No
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Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
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Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
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Appointment type
Temporary - Not to Exceed 1039 Hours
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Work schedule
Multiple Schedules - Full-time or Part-time is dependent on the duty location.
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Service
Competitive
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Promotion potential
None
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Job family (Series)
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Supervisory status
No
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Security clearance
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Drug test
No
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Position sensitivity and risk
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Trust determination process
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Financial disclosure
No
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Bargaining unit status
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Announcement number
PW-1548-SR-25-12596286-DE
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Control number
820551200
This job is open to
- The public
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
- Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
Clarification from the agency
The Pacific West Region is recruiting for TEMPORARY seasonal positions not to exceed 1039 hours work in a service year. Dates of employment will vary depending on funding, weather conditions, and visitation. Within regulatory limitations, the length of initial appointment may be shortened or extended depending on work availability and funding. Under this announcement, we are accepting applications from: 1. All United States Citizens (U.S. Citizens) 2. CTAP/ICTAP Eligibles.
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Duties
Major Duties:
- Conduct fish and/or wildlife censuses and surveys and assembles basic information on fish and/or wildlife populations. Use standard statistical methods and procedures in performing routine and recurring testing of the field data collected.
- Perform field work which requires the ability to accurately distinguish wildlife by sight and sound.
- May assist state biologists in the capture of wildlife, applying visual and radio tags, and gathering physiological and spatial data.
- Enters and retrieves data from Geographic Information System (GIS) and/or other information management systems.
- Assists in the preparation of reports, plans, and guidelines. Recommends modifications to field activity procedures.
- Provide advice, assistance, and training to lower graded technicians and volunteers in gathering field data, including proper and safe handling of equipment and tools and operation of vehicles and/or watercraft.
Working Conditions: The work is performed in an office or outdoors. The work performed involves regular and recurring exposure to extreme weather conditions and terrain, poisonous plants, biting insects, and wild animals.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- U.S. Citizenship required.
- Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
- Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.
- Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
- You may be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties. Prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year thereafter (or more frequently if management determines such need exists), you will be required to sign an affidavit certifying to your possession of a valid State issued driver's license that is current and has not been revoked, suspended, canceled, or otherwise disqualified in any way to prohibit your operation of a motor vehicle. You will also submit a photocopy of your valid State issued driver's license prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year, or more frequently if management determines such need exists. Lastly, you may be required to submit (within a State sealed envelope or submitted directly by the State authorities), and at your own expense, all certified driving records from all States that discloses all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you. Please indicate in your application whether you possess a valid State driver's license.
- You may be required to work overtime.
- You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 8 nights per month.
- Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid. Relocation expenses will be the employee's responsibility.
- Applicants must be at least (1)18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program.
Qualifications
Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience.
To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:
EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position. Specialized experience for this position includes: conducting wildlife field surveys to document and assess animal presence, abundance, reproduction, and population dynamics; conducting biological aquatic surveys to obtain basic information for management of fish, amphibians, macroinvertebrates, and aquatic ecosystems; assisting researchers in wildlife surveys and monitoring activities; mapping wildlife locations using a Global Positioning Systems (GPS) unit; working with field crews to implement wildlife projects; and to assist in long-term monitoring projects by following established protocols to compile, store, analyze and report on wildlife data using a variety of computer programs. You must include hours per week worked.
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EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least four years of education above high school (120 semester hours or 180 quarter hours) leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or 24 semester hours of course work in a related field of scientific or technical study, such as in biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics. At least 6 semester hours of courses must be directly related to the position such as wildlife biology. You must include transcripts.
-OR-
Successful completion of a COMBINATION of education and experience as described above. NOTE: Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting this requirement. Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to 1 year of specialized experience. For example, six months of the specialized experience (50% of the experience requirement), and 3 years of college study from an accredited institution which included at least 12 semester hours of related coursework as specified above, and at least 3 semester hours in wildlife biology (50% of the qualifying education). The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include transcripts and hours per week worked.
To qualify for this position at the GS-06 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:
EXPERIENCE: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position. Specialized experience for this position includes: conducting wildlife field surveys to document and assess animal presence, abundance, reproduction, and population dynamics; conducting biological aquatic surveys to obtain basic information for management of fish, amphibians, macroinvertebrates, and aquatic ecosystems; assisting researchers in wildlife surveys and monitoring activities; mapping wildlife locations using a Global Positioning Systems (GPS) unit; lead field crews to implement wildlife projects; and assist in long-term monitoring projects by following established protocols to compile, store, analyze and report on wildlife data using a variety of computer programs. You must include hours per week worked.
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EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least one year of full-time graduate education leading to a master's degree with major study in any combination of scientific or technical courses such as biology, ecology, entomology, animal husbandry, mammalogy or zoology. Graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent. You must include transcripts.
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COMBINATION: Successful completion of a combination of experience and education that total at least one year. Experience and education should be computed as percentage of the overall requirements and must equal 100 percent when combined. You must include transcripts and hours per week worked.
ICTAP/CTAP Statement: Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. Well qualified means that the applicant meets the following: OPM qualification standards for the position; all selective placement factors, where applicable; special qualifying conditions that OPM has approved for the position, where applicable; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and is rated by the organization at least at the well qualified level on all competencies.
Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Education
To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.
If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.
Additional information
For additional information regarding this position, please contact:
Keith Bensen, Fish and Wildlife Biologist
keith_bensen@nps.gov
A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected. The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.
Government Housing may not be available.
A Recruitment Incentive May Be Authorized for a newly selected employee when appointed to a permanent, temporary, or term position. A Federal employee who is transferring to the National Park Service from another component, bureau or Federal agency and who does not meet the conditions under 5 CFR §575.102 is not eligible for a recruitment incentive.
Non-Competitive Rehire Eligibility: Temporary seasonal employees can only maintain their non-competitive rehire eligibility if they work no more than a combined total of Temporary NTE less than 1040 hours anywhere in the National Park Service (NPS) within their established service year. Accordingly, non-competitive rehire eligibility allows for re-appointment to the same position or another position appropriate for temporary appointment with the same qualification requirements (5 CFR 316.402[b][7]), based on series and grade, anywhere in the major subdivision (NPS).
If you have held a temporary seasonal appointment in the past 12 months and have already worked the maximum temporary appointment less than 1040 hours during that period, you are still welcome to apply. However, please be aware that exceeding the limit of 1040 hours in your established service year will result in the loss of your non-competitive rehire eligibility.
The limit can be exceeded by working multiple temporary seasonal positions that result in a combined total greater than 1040 hours. The limit also can be exceeded by working a single temporary seasonal appointment that exceeds 1040 hours, unless granted an exception by OPM.
Employment may be terminated at any time due to fluctuations in funding levels, project needs, employee performance, or other considerations.
The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster.How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the additional assessments required for this position. A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Assessment Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score will be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you can lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions can affect your rating.
Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans with a service connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher. Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into one of two categories:
- Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job
- Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.
- Technology Application
- Fishery Biology
- Wildlife Biology
- Teamwork
- Stamina
- Leadership (GS-06 ONLY)
Required Documents
The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) when the applicant limit is reached which may be sooner than on 12/09/2024:
- Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, dates specified in month and year format, and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade.
- Complete All Required Assessments.
- College transcripts, if qualifying based on education.
- Other Supporting Documents, if applicable, such as:
- Veterans Preference Documentation:
- If you are a Discharged, Non-Disabled Veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character of discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives.
- If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
- If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Mother or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15, and if applicable, a completed SF15. You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from www.ebenefits.va.gov or call 1-800-827-1000 to establish proof of disability.
- Veterans Preference Documentation:
- Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan consideration if you are a displaced Federal employee within the local commuting area. You must include: 1) Proof you are a displaced Federal employee, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be rated well-qualified or above 90 on the rating criteria for this position.
Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
To apply for this position: You must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To receive consideration, the complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) when the applicant limit is reached which may be sooner than on 12/09/2024. You must provide documentation to support your claim for each eligibility selected. Please review the required documentation listed in the eligibilities language to ensure you submit the appropriate information. Note: You will only be marked eligible for those eligibilities that you selected and provided the appropriate supporting documentation.
WE DO NOT ACCEPT HARD-COPY OR E-MAIL APPLICATION PACKAGES.
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Agency contact information
- patty_gerhardt@nps.gov
- Address
- Redwood National and State Parks
1111 Second Street
Crescent City, CA 95531
US
Next steps
Once the Occupational Questionnaire is received you will receive acknowledgement that your submission was successful. If you are among the most qualified candidates and your name is referred to the hiring official, you may be contacted directly for a possible interview. You will be notified of the status of your Application Package at the time candidates are referred for consideration, and when the selection process is complete.
Fair & Transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.